It occurred to me that I posted this announcement on Instagram and Snapchat, but said nary a thing on my actual blog. That's silly, because while I certainly enjoy and appreciate my followers on other forms of social media, most of the people who check out BOGL are in it for the blog. So, uh, here's the news: there's a piece of jewelry on my left ring finger now. My partner and I have been unofficially engaged for a while, but we decided to get this little guy and make it old fashioned official. I'll marry him at some point. (My partner, that is, not the ring.)
Now on to the question portion of this post. I received some Lime Crime products as gifts from a friend, and when I realized I quite liked them, I swapped for a few more. The Velvetine liquid lipsticks in particular have popped up in a few of my Snapchat and Instagram posts, and I've received a few (very polite) requests to write about them.
Here's the thing: Lime Crime has something of a checkered past. I'm all for giving people second chances if they apologize and learn from their behavior; I know I've made mistakes and poor decisions that I'd hate to be judged for now. And it seems like the company has been on its best behavior for the last year or so, especially after the security breach that appears to have pushed founder "Doe Deere" further and further in to the background.
That said, I'm still not quite sure how to approach such a blogpost. Any company can have a security breach, unfortunately, but this was stacked on a pile of other discomforting issues, like purportedly using unapproved ingredients and the infamous Hitler costume. Doe Deere has apologized for some of these things, but there's enough weirdness going on that I don't actually feel comfortable buying directly from the company--again, every Lime Crime product I own was a gift or came to me second hand.
I know I can't please everybody. There will be some people who will be disappointed that I even own these products, and it's a shame, because I'm glad you guys are here and I want you to enjoy the content. But the post was requested, and I think it might be helpful to some people.
Might, however, is the clincher. It could also legitimize some of the shitty behavior and piss-poor management that's gone on in the past.
So here's the question: what do you think a Lime Crime post should contain? Should it outline why the writer does or doesn't support the company, or should it go straight in to the products? Should it include a number rating or stay score-free? Should it even be written in the first place? I'd love to hear your opinions.
Unlike Jeffree Star and his company, I think Doe Deere is sufficiently divorced from the brand and furthermore has apologized so I don't have an ethical problem with Limecrime. And as for the security breach I bought my one Limecrime lipstick via Amazon where they sell all their products. I would love to hear whatever you think about what you have since I've been wanting the Venus palettes for a long time and am very curious about the Velvetines. I think everyone's aware of the controversy swirling around Limecrime and many people have aired their opinions so I don't think you should feel the need to address it unless you particularly want to.
ReplyDeleteI just bought both Venus palettes as well as some velvetines (squash, pumpkin, and Zenon) so this is sort-of timely.
ReplyDeleteAll the disclaimers and weirdly apologetic reviews of LC products are kinda annoying to me. So many brands/faces of brands have done (or continue to do) worse without getting half the flack LC has. I've been following various Doe Deere-related controversies for (nearly?) a decade at this point (since she was selling vintage clothes on LiveJournal) so I might be more tired of hearing about them than most are.
If it were me, I'd include maybe a one-line mention that the brand is controversial with a link to one of the many controversy breakdowns online. Otherwise, I think enough people have written enough words about the issue (and most people who are into somewhat niche cosmetic brands/reading about them online will have heard tee major arguments at this point already.)
Yeah, I think a one-liner is enough. Like you both said, most people who follow the makeup blogging scene are aware of Lime Crime's history.
DeleteThat eye look is awesomely fierce! Personally I'd say just write whatever you feel like, but I do agree with some of the other commenters - I've heard more than enough about Limecrime's shadiness in my lifetime. The Velvetines get very mixed reviews though, so I'm genuinely curious as to what/why you like it!
ReplyDeleteI think the quality of the Velvetines themselves is mixed. I bought a couple about a year ago (Peony and whatever the black one is called) and Peony separated out in the in after just a few months and applies unevenly. I bought three more a week ago and between the three colors two are opaque and look/wear almost all day (Squash and Pumpkin) and one is patchy, hard to build to full coverage, and wears off pretty easily (Zenon, a metallic.) All brands have some inconsistencies between colors within a formula, but as a smaller company LC might have more of them. Also, they have a vanilla smell that I know some people really dislike.
DeleteCongrats! As for Lime Crime, I don't know the details so I have yet to form an opinion.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your engagement! I think I'm with everyone else when I say Lime Crime scandals are old news. Maybe just add a brief note about your feelings. Personally, I'm more interested in what you have to say about the products and seeing swatches.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the engagement! Your eye makeup in that picture is beautiful. ❤️
ReplyDeletePersonally I won't purchase from Lime Crime for all the standard reasons, but I get why people do. (The Venus palettes are gorgeous!) Like everyone else, I think a brief mention of the controversy is sufficient. People will make their own decisions with the information, and no matter how many people condemn LC (whether legitimately or not), there will still be people out there who are interested in purchasing. So the more info about the products, the better! It does seem that the company is so bogged with controversy that it may be difficult to find product-focused reviews for those who are interested in purchasing.
Congrats on your engagement! And you look stunning in that picture! I don't buy from Lime Crime because there's enough other stuff out there to satisfy me, but I don't judge anyone who does, and I'm always interested in your reviews of any product. I don't think you need to go into much detail about the brands "crimes"'. Anyone who wants more info can google it.
ReplyDeleteWhat base are you using in this photo? Looks like PERFECTION
ReplyDelete99% sure it's MAC Face & Body.
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